The present invention is related to a wind energy plant with a rotor which is coupled with an input shaft of a gear via a rotor shaft. The rotor shaft is double bearing mounted via one rotor side bearing and one gear side bearing. The gear has a gear housing.
Erich Hau, Windkraftanlagen, 3th edition, Springer-Verlag 2003 resumes the three-point bearing of a rotor shaft and gear in greater wind energy plants as follows: a rotor shaft and gear are supported by three points in this configuration, one front bearing and two lateral gear pedestals. The advantage of the three-point bearing is a shortening of the rotor shaft, and through this also of the load-supporting structure of the machine house. In addition, the assembly group “rotor shaft with bearing and gear” can be pre-assembled and combinedly built in, through which an efficient assembly of the machine house is facilitated. Also, it may be fallen back on standard gears of conventional construction as far as possible.
Erich Hau points out further that as a further going step towards a more compact construction, the bearing of the rotor immediately on or in the gear is known in the state of the art. When integrating the rotor bearing into the gear, it is intended that the inevitable deformations of the load-supporting housing and the bending of the rotor shaft do not impair the gear function. The supporting bottom platform of the machine house can be significantly made smaller in this concept; small plants can even completely omit a supporting bottom platform.
WO 2004/046582 A2, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, is related to the realisation of a gear into which is integrated a main bearing for the rotor shaft.
DE 102 31 948 A1, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, is related to the bearing arrangement for a wind energy plant, in which the bearing has a first bearing ring, connected to the machine housing, and a second bearing ring connected with the rotor hub, which is turnably held on the first bearing ring.
From WO 2004/013516 A1, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, a planetary gear train for a wind energy plant is known, in which the main bearing of the rotor hub takes place on a bearing disposed outside on the planetary wheel carrier
From DE 102 42 707, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, a bearing for a wind energy plant is known, in which the generator is realised as a circle, concentrically enveloping the gear. In this, the front rotor bearing is shaped as a moment bearing, directly arranged on the hub.
From WO 03 031811, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, a gear unit with integrated rotor bearing is known. The connection between the gear unit and its link to the housing as well as to the rotor hub permit dismounting of the completely assembled gear unit from the housing and the rotor hub by a drawing movement. The rotor shaft is bearing mounted on the gear side as well as on the rotor side in this. A detachable coupling is provided between the gear side bearing and gear.
The present invention is based on the objective of providing an improved bearing for the rotor shaft of the wind energy plant, in which dismounting the gear can take place simply, without any additional measures for supporting the rotor shaft, and the rotor itself.